View the Night Sky

Have you ever seen the Milky Way stretch all the way across the sky? Or spotted a neighboring galaxy with only your eyes? Big Bend National Park works hard to preserve our dark nights and keep these opportunities available for all. Darkness is a disappearing natural resource in many areas, but here you can experience the desert come alive after nightfall. Check the weather forecast, find a comfortable spot, bring your binoculars if you have them, a blanket if you want, a red light, and maybe a star chart, and look up. Download monthly star charts. We recommend reading them using a red flashlight or headlamp. Red lighting doesn't interfere with your night vision and will make stargazing much more enjoyable and safer than white lighting. Try star hopping - start with a familiar star or constellation, and learn how it points or guides you to something else. For example, from the Big Dipper you can arc to Arcturus, and from there you can speed on to Spica. Heavens Above has a database of visible satellites you might spot.